What is the best time for gorilla habituation experience safari in Uganda? There are few travel experiences as amazing as seeing wild mountain gorillas for four hours in the thick tropical rainforests of Bwindi in Rushaga sector Uganda. Gorilla trekking ca be done in just 3 African countries of Uganda, Rwanda and DR Congo in four national parks of Bwindi, Mgahinga, Volcanoes and Virunga. The mountain gorillas are among the world’s endangered apes and the estimated number of mountain gorillas left in the entire world is about 1080.

Uganda alone is a home to more than a half of the endangered mountain gorillas that live in the thick forests of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park al in south western Uganda. Gorilla trekking offers you a chance to spend up to a maximum of one hour with a habituated gorilla family. However, those that wish to spend more time with mountain gorillas, Uganda offers a rare opportunity only done in Rushaga sector in the entire world to participate in a full day gorilla habituation experience in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park of Uganda.

You will be given full 4 hours to spend with a semi habituated gorilla family and these hours start counting when you meet where mountain gorillas slept at night. During gorilla habituation experience, the trekkers are accompanied by expert guides, researchers and conservationists. Gorilla habituation experience is one of the most remarkable wildlife adventures on the planet. Africa adventure vacations provides you with all information that you need to know about gorilla trekking and gorilla habituation experience in Uganda.

Unlike gorilla trekking that allows a person only one hour with mountain gorillas, gorilla habituation experience allows you to a maximum of hours accompanied by rangers and researchers in a semi habituated gorilla family which starts counting when you find a place they nested last night.  Gorilla habituation experience is expensive but it’s worth it. Gorilla habituation experience costs $1500 per person per day and goes up to 4 hours compared to gorilla trekking which costs $700 per person per trek and last for one hour

What is gorilla habituation experience in Bwindi Forest National Park Uganda?

Gorilla habituation experience is the slow and gentle process of making wild gorillas get used to human presence. Wild mountain gorillas are habituated to enable researchers study about these species, treat them in case of injuries and sickness, protect them from hunters and also boost their conservation efforts with sustainable tourism.

Rushaga sector is where gorilla habituation is carried out and the gorilla families being habituated currently are Bikingi and Bushaho in the southern part of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park. For a gorilla family to become fully habituated and get used to human presence, they undergo a lengthy habituation process between 3 – 5 years managed by rangers, trackers, experts and conservationists.

National park rangers are the first to start gorilla habituation by spending a few hours with the mountain gorillas every day. They keep a specific distance and live the mountain gorillas at their comfort zone. As time goes by, they increase of the time they spend with gorillas and keep on reducing the distance until they are sure that the gorillas are ready to be visited by tourists.

When the mountain gorillas are not fully habituated, they are only used to trackers, researchers and rangers, but not tourists. The gorilla habituation experience is done to make sure that mountain gorillas are fully comfortable in presence of human beings. When you participate in gorilla habituation experience, you are supporting the conservation of mountain gorillas, the rangers, the guides and the communities near the park. It’s the best feeling to think that you will be the first person to meet mountain gorillas in their natural habitats.

Gorilla habituation experience offers a more relaxed and inspiring time with mountain gorillas. You won’t be on a rush and you will have enough time with gorillas to fully observe this incredible wildlife experience.  During your time with mountain gorillas, you can know more about their daily live, feeding, breast feeding, playing with each other, and patrol under the watchful gaze of a gorilla silverback.

Best time to go for gorilla habituation experience in Bwindi Uganda.

Mountain gorilla habituation in Rushaga sector of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park can be done throughout the year with consistent temperatures ranging from 20 – 25 degrees Celsius. Yes, the best time for gorilla habituation experience is the dry season which happens from June to September and from December to February. During this season the jungle is less muddy and slippery for trekking.

The rainy season takes place in the month of March to May and from October to November. In this period you can still go for gorilla habituation experience but you must be aware of muddy terrains that are hard to navigate. The wet season is best for photography because after the rain shower, the atmosphere is clear without any dust and mist creating the best atmosphere to capture mountain gorillas.

Amazing experiences of Gorilla habituation safari in Bwindi Forest National Park

The first thing you notice when stepping of gorilla habituation experience in Rushaga sector of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park are the sounds of the forest. The trees are habitats of different bird species, insects and butterflies and the excitement mounts as you realize you are about to meet the endangered mountain gorillas.

Once you allocate a gorilla family, the ranger guide asks you to keep a distance of at least 7 meters away from the mountain gorillas but the gorillas don’t follow the rules because there are some cases when they move towards you and sit not more than 5 meters from you. The ranger guides will guide on how to behave in front of these giant apes.